NL West

Now Commenting On:

Smith, Padres need All-Star ballot help

Email

Print

Smith's triple to right 0:54

6/8/14: Seth Smith lines a triple that gets past Jayson Werth in right field, putting himself in scoring position for the Padres

By Will Laws
/
MLB.com |

SAN DIEGO -- For the fourth consecutive week, the Padres have no position players in immediate contention to start the 2014 All-Star Game. San Diego didn't place anyone in the top five among catchers and infielders nor in the top 15 of outfielders in latest ballot results.

Outfielder Seth Smith continues to put up solid numbers, ranking among the NL's leaders in on-base percentage (.395, 8th), slugging percentage (.511, 10th) and runs created per 27 outs (7.29, 8th) entering Sunday. However, his name isn't on the ballot since he wasn't expected to be a full-time starter this year, so he'll need fans to write-in his name for a chance at the All-Star Game.

And with many of his teammates either going through season-long slumps or sitting out with injuries at some point, the lowest-scoring offense in the league hasn't produced another standout candidate.

Entering Sunday's game, Cameron Maybin is hitting .283 and might have garnered some votes with his speed and all-around game, but has only played in 37 games after missing the beginning of the season with a bicep injury suffered in Spring Training.

Everth Cabrera, the team's representative last year, has been a valuable asset in the field, but is hitting just .227 with a .262 on-base percentage entering Sunday.

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 8:59 p.m. PT. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15.

Fans may submit up to 25 online ballots, but they can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, you must be logged into your MLB.com account when you submit any online ballot. If you do not have an MLB.com account, register on the site in accordance with the enrollment instructions for a free MLB.com account.

Fans this year once again can participate in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league who they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2014 Home Run Derby will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 5 p.m. PT on Monday, July 14.

The 2014 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show during the weekend of July 5-6, with further details to follow on MLB.com. Immediately following the announcement of the AL and NL All-Star rosters, fans can begin voting to select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans will cast their votes from a list of five players from each league over the balloting period.

And the voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Will Laws is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.